Ghosts of Idols
by spyder-m
Summary: AU. When Shinra receives word of another Avalanche bombing mission, 1st Class Soldier Cloud Strife is tasked with guarding the Sector 5 Reactor. Cloud meets a familiar face among Avalanche's ranks; someone he thought perished in Nibleheim's fires. A loved one he must now face as an enemy. Written for Day 6 of the Cloti Fall Festival. Based on the prompt, "Original game".


A/N: I couldn't come up with anything I liked for lanterns, but had what I thought was a pretty cool idea for an AU spin on the original game. Feel like there's potential for a multi-chaptered story here... Shame I'm no good at actually regularly updating full-length stories.

The title also comes from lyrics to the Thrice song, "Where Idols Once Stood", for those of you playing at home.

* * *

Ghosts of Idols

"Congratulations; First Class Soldier Strife," President Shinra's gravelly voice broke, his mouth twisting at Cloud in a smile barring too many teeth.

Not privy to the formalities of the ceremony, Cloud wasn't exactly sure how to respond.

He recognised that President Shinra was his boss, and a powerful, influential figure he would need to treat respectfully. Still, he couldn't help but feel jaded by the entire ceremony. How a man, who Cloud wasn't even sure had known his name before, was suddenly happy to bask in the presence of the famed, hero of the day.

His conflicted feelings for the President aside, Cloud gripped the man's hand firmly, his head dipping an awkward bow.

The Soldier uniform clung to the newly formed muscle lining his arms and chest; forged from the years of training and bolstered by his recent graduation to Mako injections. Yet, it somehow felt ill-fitting.

The President's hand clasped Cloud's shoulder, shifting his stance towards the thongs of press before them; cameras flickering in blinding flashes. The reporters' questions blurred together in a flurry of incomprehensible voices, crackling in his ears like thunder.

Cloud winced, still adjusting to the powerful senses the Mako had imbued him with.

It was too hard to focus on what they were saying, let alone form a coherent answer, when even the touch of their fingers against their camera's flashes seemed to ring as loudly as a hail of bullets.

Having grown up shy and reserved, Cloud hadn't considered the spotlight being Soldier would shine upon his life. His hand rose, unsure, as he acknowledged the press.

This should have been the proudest moment of his life. Yet, their praise, the adulation he had always sought after, now felt empty.

At seventeen, Cloud had become one of the youngest to ever reach the height of Soldier's elite; younger than even Zack or Sephiroth had been. When, just weeks ago, he'd been nothing more than a grunt resigned to a life of perpetual failure.

The Great Sephiroth, now branded a traitor and murderer, had been killed at his hands, in the midst of a rampage in Nibleheim.

Cloud, though only an infantryman, had survived a seemingly fatal wound; pierced clean through by Masamune's blade. He had managed to overpower Sephiroth, pushing him into a vat of Mako beneath the platform, killing him.

Such feats were unheard of and in the realm of superhuman. The higher-ups in Shinra realised that there was no way such raw potential could be kept dormant. They needed to harness and nourish it.

So, for succeeding where even Zack; a First Class; had failed and sparing any further casualties, Cloud had been swiftly promoted. He had finally managed to catch the role that alluded him.

Still, there was an absence, a sense of loss that weighed upon Cloud as he remained conscious of all that had been taken from him in the process.

He was no longer the same fresh-faced, young man full of dreams and aspirations. The incident in Nibleheim had exposed him to the horrible reality of war that had been glorified to him from a young age, and the shady nature of the company he worked under.

His hometown had been destroyed, his mother killed in the ensuing fire; his idol, the man he once considered a hero, twisted unrecognisably into a cruel, sadistic monster; Tifa… He hadn't received word of her condition after carrying her to safety. He didn't even know if she had managed to survive.

The final pieces of his dream, his life's goal, had all been ripped away and now everything felt incomplete.

He would never have the chance to return home, could never bask in the vindication of showing the town that had shunned him the man he had become. His mother wouldn't be there to welcome him back, to gush over how she proud she was. He could never earn the respect of Mr Lockhart, showing him the result of his years of hard work.

He could no longer become someone worthy of Tifa.

Celebrating seemed meaningless now that he could no longer honour the promises he had made.

As if sensing the despair weighing upon him, the only remaining presence in Cloud's life he could stand, the only person he could trust, put his arm around him.

Cloud glanced up, the flurry of doubt swimming through his head alleviated by Zack's soft, reassuring smile.

His friends normal, sunny disposition was restrained, recognising the gravity and weight the day carried. The sheen of his eyes dulled, sadness and sympathy lingering in his gaze.

It was comforting, a reminder that Cloud wasn't completely alone in all of this.

"You did it, buddy. I knew you would."

Cloud smiled. It was ill-fitting, much like his uniform.

.

As a coping mechanism, Cloud pushed himself deeper into his work; now the one constant in his life that remained.

He was determined now, more than ever, to be the best Soldier had ever known; if for no reason other than to shatter the once great reputation of Sephiroth.

He would ensure that the honour, the pride that had once been attached to Sephiroth's name would be erased forever. For, the man he had left the world as, the horrific, things he had done, was no longer deserving of such a legacy.

Following the tragedy in Nibleheim, Cloud; for his accomplishments; was already being presented as the new poster child for Shinra; the Silver Elite seemingly forgotten. Though, his name was still written in many company records, Shinra did not actively acknowledge it, wanting to swiftly sweep the massacre under the rug, not wanting to get caught up in such a scandal.

Cloud had heard that Shinra had even gone so far as to completely rebuild the town; filling it with actors to pose as Nibleheim residents.

Should word get out of the tragedy, the town would stand as direct proof against it. The only people who knew the truth were buried amidst the rubble under the newly constructed houses and markers.

Although, that wasn't entirely true.

Both he and Zack survived, that had witnessed the massacre with their own eyes. Perhaps that was Shinra had been treating them so well, why Cloud had been suddenly promoted. They hoped that they could compel them into remaining silent.

Although, it might not have been necessary.

Even if they came out with the truth, chances are that no one would believe them. Nibleheim had been so remote, so far from Midgar. The likelihood that anyone in the city knew of the names and faces, the lives that had inhabited that place, was minuscule.

The thought made Cloud sick to his stomach, a painful reminder of everything he had lost. The very idea of someone living in his home; or, an exact replica of it; pretending as though nothing had happened. Pretending that his mother, Tifa, Mr Lockhart, none of them had ever even been alive.

Cloud couldn't help but see the act as an unconscious admission of guilt on the part of the Shinra, that they'd had a small hand in the massacre.

Though it didn't excuse his actions, Cloud was beginning to suspect Sephiroth had gone on the rampage after suffering some kind of mental breakdown.

Zack had confessed overhearing Sephiroth muttering the library of the Shinra Mansion. Talking about being born from Jenova, the calamity that fell from the sky.

Thinking about it, Cloud felt it was possible that Sephiroth's mental state had deteriorated following the deaths of his two closest friends, Angeal and Genesis; not to mention the atrocities he'd been exposed to over the course of the Wutai War.

For this to have gone undiagnosed and untreated by the company, eventually manifesting in the worst possible way, they bore some responsibility.

In the wake of such tragedy, questions were often raised about whether or it was fair to bury the memory of such controversial figures completely. About whether they could still be recognised for the good they'd done and what they'd achieved while they were alive.

Considering the hero status Sephiroth had attained in his time, Cloud was certain this conversation would inevitably come up.

For that reason, Cloud resolved to quash any thought of celebrating Sephiroth's accomplishments by shattering them all.

Cloud didn't want anyone to have a reason to speak of Sephiroth anymore.

That would be his revenge, his means of avenging his mother, Tifa, Nibleheim.

Perhaps, that way, he could find some semblance of closure.

.

Where Cloud had once been ridiculed for his short stature and lithe frame, there was now a palpable aura surrounded him, one that commanded respect.

It was difficult not to notice as he walked the halls of Shinra HQ, the subtle glances and whispers that would follow in his wake. His reputation proceeded him; the man who had managed to defeat Sephiroth.

The infantrymen who were once his cohorts looked at him differently.

Should he stop to speak with one of them, they would stammer in response, struggling to maintain eye contact. Though normally modest and reserved, Cloud couldn't help but revel in the satisfaction and stroke his ego felt whenever they shrunk in his presence.

The glare of his eerie, glowing eyes would often punctuate an order, sending them scurrying frantically in all directions.

"Cloud."

Cloud's pace slowed, knowing by the call of his name, that there was only be one person who would approach him.

Over their time in Soldier, Zack had gotten to know him closely and knew there was nothing about him to fear. He had been someone who, despite holding a higher position, had never treated him as inferior, but recognised and believed in his strength all along.

Now, that day had come, and they were equals in rank.

"Come on," Zack called with a wave. "We need to get going. Heidegger just called an emergency meeting."

.

"Ah, Soldier 1st Class Strife. Glad that you could make it."

"What's going on?" Cloud asked as he stood at attention amongst the other Soldiers.

"We've received word that Avalanche is planning another attack on one of our Reactors. However, at this stage, we haven't been able to determine which one."

Avalanche. Their name had been cropping up more and more recently; a group of vigilantes, enviro-terrorists who had set their sights on Shinra. Cloud had heard rumblings of their protests, the accusations they levelled at the company. How they were draining the planet's lifeforce to power cities and towns.

It was a damaging blow to his already waning faith in Shinra.

Still, Cloud couldn't agree with their methods; planting bombs in Mako reactors across the city and cutting off the power, hoping to stop the draining of the planet's energy. They were too many innocent people being caught in the crossfire.

Shinra might have been corrupt, but there were genuinely good people working for the company; people like Zack, like the infantrymen he had been friends with. They would have to fight in the line of duty, in some cases even, die.

They didn't deserve to have their lives taken from them.

The planet was suffering under Shinra, but what about the pain of those who were killed in the explosions? The pain of those who had to continue living through the tragedy of having lost their children, the parents, their friends, partners, co-workers? It was a pain Cloud had become all too familiar with; one he didn't want to see others have to suffer through.

As far as Cloud was concerned, Avalance were no better than Sephiroth.

"Therefore, as a countermeasure, I want one of you stationed at each Reactor," Heidegger instructed. "These people are dangerous terrorists, so don't hesitate to use lethal force. Let Avalanche serve as a martyr to any other sewer rats out there who might be thinking of following their example."

.

It never occurred to Cloud that Shinra's Mako Reactors had all been built to the exact same dimensions.

As he walked through Sector 5, approaching the building, he was shaken by each eerie detail that flooded back. How, much like the reconstruction of Nibleheim, it was startingly, precisely familiar, carrying a distinct memory and reminder of that night.

It awoke the flood of panic that had surged through his veins, the hot, viscous streaks of blood spilt upon that same staircase. His thoughts, somehow, became more visceral, than what he had lived through.

His heart lurched in his chest as he recounted passing Zack and Tifa's prone bodies, lying motionless of the stairs. He could feel his hand shaking against the handle of his sword, much like it had as he stood before Sephiroth, certain that he was going to die. The white-hot burn of Sephiroth's blade searing in two different places as it cut clean through his flesh.

Exhaling in a cold-sweat, Cloud buckled to one knee at the entrance.

"Sir?" The voice of the infantryman crouched beside Cloud, pulled him from his reverie. His words, the touch of his hand against his shoulder, offering Cloud something to focus on.

"Are you alright?"

"I- I'm fine," Cloud lied.

Even with masks obscuring their faces and no way to clearly read their expressions, Cloud could sense the doubt radiating through the fleeting glances they shared.

Before they had the chance to pry, alarms began to blare from inside the reactor.

The infantrymen turned towards him expectantly, awaiting his command.

Standing back to his feet, Cloud readied Hardedge.

"Alright. On my signal, move in." Cloud instructed.

"Right."

.

Cloud heard Avalance before he had a chance to see them; a product of a Soldier's Mako-enhanced senses.

It was the clatter of the rifle along the ground that gave them away. The sound of a bullet misfiring and ricocheting off the wall, the guard grunting in pain before seemingly slumping to the floor, unconscious.

Cloud slid to a stop at the entrance of the reactor, catching sight of a young woman taking down one of the guards with a series of powerful strikes.

Despite himself, Cloud was impressed by the sheer speed and technique she demonstrated. He'd been under the impression that Avalanche were a group of ordinary, frustration citizens; finding strength in numbers and piecing together a militia from what they had on hand.

Yet, this woman fought with the skill of a trained, highly dangerous fighter.

Still, Cloud felt no cause for concern. It would take more than hand to hand skills for her to stand against a member of Soldier. Though, he took solace in knowing that their fight would not be so unfairly balanced.

Despite company orders, Cloud did not feel comfortable using force on random citizens and had hoped he could detain the protestors peacefully.

Sensing his presence behind her, however, the woman turned towards him, her fists raised and stance wide, ready to strike. Their eyes locked from opposite ends of the room, immediately honing in one another.

Cloud's forehead burnt as he, once more, was struck by that haunting flash of recognition.

It was a moment that had played out in Cloud's head countless times.

A vision that only grew more vivid with each iteration.

With time and the hardships that had plagued his young life, Cloud had realised that the romantic imaginings of his young mind were unlikely to accurately reflect reality.

Yet, he could never have guessed how far they would stray, how opposite to his hopes and dreams things would actually unfold.

Her eyes, through enhanced Mako vision, were brighter, much more vibrant and closer to red than he could remember. They looked older, no longer wide and innocent.

Though, perhaps the most startling difference was how those same breath-taking, ruby eyes now pinned him down, not with admiration, but heart-wrenching rage.

As the pieces slid into place, his voice broke in a tremor.

"T… Tifa?"

"Cloud?"

.

_"The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies."_ – Unknown


End file.
